Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1] LIVE REACTION: Klopp’s European journey with Reds ends in Europa League heartbreak as Italian side complete shock win
Liverpool's Europa League campaign came to an end after a 3-1 defeat on aggregate to Atalanta.
The Reds trailed 3-0 from the opening leg at Anfield, and they were given hope as Mohamed Salah slammed home an early penalty inside the first ten minutes to make it 1-0 on the night.
Luis Diaz then saw an effort smothered and Salah missed a one-on-one as Jurgen Klopp's men ended the first 45 minutes strongly.
However, in the second half, Liverpool offered very little, and it was the hosts who had the better chances.
As the game went on, Klopp threw Diogo Jota, Drawin Nunez and Harvey Elliott on, but the belief drained with each passing minute as the Liverpool manager's European reign at Anfield came to an end in an unflattering manner.
The full-time whistle provoked wild scenes as the home fans invaded the pitch, and the Reds collapsed knowing their Europa League dreams were over.
See how the match unfolded below...
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1] - REACTION
Right, that's it from us this evening as Liverpool crash out of the Europa League, ending Jurgen Klopp's European reign.
The Reds won on the night 1-0 thanks to a Mohamed Salah penalty, but the damage was done at Anfield.
Meanwhile, it was a brilliant night for Atalanta, who are going through to the semi-finals.
We hope you enjoyed the coverage and we will see you all again soon.
In the meantime, read our match report.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1] - REACTION
- Liverpool haven’t lost a single game in any competition this season when they’ve gone 1-0 up (P30 W27 D3), one of only two Premier League sides to do so, along with Manchester City (P34 W28 D6). This was also their first clean sheet in 10 games, since beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the start of March.
- Only Marseille forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been involved in more UEFA Europa League goals this season than Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (8 – 5 goals, 3 assists). The Egyptian’s opener was his seventh penalty goal of the season in all competitions, his joint most in a single campaign for Liverpool (also 7 in 2020-21).
Celebrations set to go on long into the night
Bergamo will no doubt be the party capital of the world this evening, and why not.
It's not every day you beat Liverpool in the Europa League quarter-finals.
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Credit: Getty
Huge night for Atalanta
While Liverpool will reflect on a missed opportunity in the Europa League, Atalanta will remember a great night.
Yes, they lose the game, but they are through to the semi-finals.
The damage was done in the first leg as Atalanta won 3-0 at Anfield before turning in a solid defensive display in front of their passionate supporters in Bergamo.
Gian Piero Gasperini masterminded that win over Jurgen Klopp, and they must feel they can go all the way now.
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Credit: Getty More from Klopp
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was proud of his players despite crashing out of the Europa League.
Speaking to TNT Sports, he said: "It's mixed emotions.
"I am disappointed we are out, but I am happy with the game, so let's put a line under this competition. Now, we have one competition left, and we will throw everything we have at that."
Credit: Getty Klopp's thoughts
Well, that was Jurgen Klopp's last European game as Liverpool manager.
They won, but went out, and he has been speaking to TNT Sports about the match.
He said: "We didn't lose the tie tonight. We lost it at home.
"It was clear we'd given ourselves a massive hurdle, but I liked the game a lot.
"The commitment, the desire, the power the boys showed was incredible.
"We were bit unlucky that Trent [Alexander-Arnold] wasn't fit enough to go longer. He was running out of gas, so the longer the game went on, we lost structure.
"Atalanta deserve to go through, and we can focus on the league, which we will do from now."
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1] - REACTION
- Atalanta have reached the semi-finals of a major European competition for the second time in their history (after 1987/88 season, in Cup Winners' Cup).
- Liverpool was eliminated by an Italian team, in a knockout stage of a major European competition, for the first time since the 2006/07 season (defeated in the Champions League final by AC Milan).
- This is the third goal conceded in this Europa League by Atalanta from the penalty spot: in the current tournament, only AEK Athens has collected more goals from 11 meters (six), excluding preliminaries.
- Liverpool are one of two sides to have at least two players with five or more goals scored in UEFA Europa League this season (Núñez and Salah, five each), along with Bayer Leverkusen.
Van Dijk reacts
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has been speaking to TNT Sports about his side's 3-1 aggregate defeat to Atalanta.
He said: "First, credit to Atalanta.
"The damage was done last week. We were very poor, and they had the perfect game, and they deserve to go through.
"We made it far too difficult for ourselves with the result last week.
"Today, it was a great game - good fight. We won, but it doesn't feel like it.
"The reality is, we are out and we have to very quickly turn this around.
"We need everyone for that last push [in the Premier League]."
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
Liverpool weren't the only English side to get knocked out of the Europa League tonight as West Ham joined them.
The Hammers sealed a 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen but went out 3-1 on aggregate.
Deflated
The Liverpool players just ran out of steam in the second half, and in the space of a week, their season has unravelled.
The Premier League is the only thing they have left to play for but trail Manchester City by two points.
Credit: Getty Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1] - FULL TIME
THAT'S IT, NO EUROPEAN TROPHY FOR JURGEN KLOPP IN HIS LAST SEASON!
All of the damage was done in the first leg, and the three-goal deficit was too much for the Reds to overcome despite Mohamed Salah's early penalty.
Liverpool failed to build on it, and the Italian side go through in front of a passionate home crowd.
Stay with us for all the reaction!
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
90+' - Three minutes of added time indicated.
Ashton: "Gasperini has outsmarted Klopp over the two legs."
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
90' - Lookman and Zappacosta combine well on the right to allow Koopmeiners to win a corner.
The hosts take it short and Koopmeiners dances his way into the box before De Ketelaere fouls his man.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
89' - The Atalanta fans are waving their flags now. They know they are very close to a famous result over Liverpool.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
87' - Liverpool have the ball deep in their half, but they still need two goals to force extra time.
Ashton: "It just hasn't happened for Liverpool. They've had a lot of play in front of Atalanta."
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
85' - The Reds win a throw deep in the Atalanta half.
But the hosts do well to force it back and force Klopp's men to regroup.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
83' - Koopmeiners, who has been booked, is adjudged to have fouled Gakpo as he chased a loose ball.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
81' - Liverpool are struggling to get any sort of consistent attack going.
The Reds have all of the ball but aren't going anywhere with it.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
79' - Danns is on for Liverpool as Robertson comes off and Gakpo moves to left-back.
Miranchulk is replaced by Lookman.
Yes, the former Fulham and Leicester player!
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
78' - Robertson delivers a deep free-kick that Musso calmly claims in the box, and the Reds are now starting to get desperate.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
77' - Koopmeiners goes into the book for a late tackle on Mac Allister.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
75' - De Ketelaere immediately twists Konate inside-out and slips a pass into Koopmeiners.
He rifles in a shot that hits back off him and goes behind for a goal kick.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
73' - Pasalic and De Ketelaere are coming on for Scamacca and Ederson.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool [3-1]
71' - Gomez comes on for Alexander-Arnold.
Obviously, he isn't fully fit yet, but he played some fantastic passes in the first half.
Running out of time
Credit: Getty
